Run: 2026-02-17-01KHNFQ9ANFTXMHENGHS4JAKM3

Rory's eyes flew open at the sound of the door slamming shut, her heart hammering in her chest. She sat bolt upright, clutching the covers to her chest, and peered into the darkness. For a moment, she was disoriented, unsure of where she was or what had woken her. Then she heard it - the sound of footsteps on the stairs, coming closer and closer. Her breath caught in her throat as she realized who it must be. Lucien. She hadn't seen him in months, not since that night when everything had fallen apart between them. She scrambled out of bed, her bare feet hitting the cold hardwood floor. She was wearing only a thin tank top and shorts, and she suddenly felt very exposed. She crossed to the door, her heart pounding, and pressed her ear against it. The footsteps stopped outside her door. For a moment, there was only silence. Then, a soft knock. "Rory?" Lucien's voice was low and hesitant. "Are you there?" Rory's hand hovered over the doorknob, her fingers trembling. She wanted to open the door, to see him, to feel his arms around her again. But she knew that if she did, she would be opening herself up to more pain, more heartache. She took a deep breath and tried to steady herself. "What do you want, Lucien?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper. There was a long pause, and then the sound of Lucien's forehead thudding against the door. "I need to talk to you," he said, his voice strained. "Please, Rory. Just give me a few minutes of your time." Rory's resolve wavered. She missed him so much it ached, a constant, gnawing pain in her chest. She wanted to believe that they could work things out, that they could find their way back to each other. But she knew that it wouldn't be easy. There were too many secrets between them, too much hurt. She closed her eyes, trying to gather her courage. "Fine," she said finally, her voice shaking. "You can come in. But only for a few minutes." She heard the sound of Lucien's relieved sigh, and then the door creaked open. He stood there in the doorway, his platinum blond hair slicked back, his amber and black eyes fixed on her face. He was wearing a tailored charcoal suit, as always, and he held his ivory-handled cane in one hand. Rory's breath caught in her throat. He looked just as handsome as she remembered, maybe even more so. But there was something different about him, something haunted in his eyes. She stepped back, allowing him to enter the flat. He moved past her, his gaze sweeping over the small living room, taking in the stacks of books and papers, the worn furniture. He looked out of place here, too polished and refined for such a humble setting. Rory closed the door behind him, her heart pounding. She leaned back against it, her arms crossed over her chest, trying to protect herself from the onslaught of emotions that seeing him again had unleashed. Lucien turned to face her, his expression serious. "Thank you for seeing me," he said quietly. Rory shrugged, trying to appear nonchalant. "You said you needed to talk. So talk." Lucien nodded, his gaze never leaving hers. "I know I hurt you," he said, his voice low and intense. "And I'm sorry. I never meant to cause you pain." Rory's eyes narrowed. "You think a simple apology is going to make everything better?" she asked, her voice rising. "You disappeared without a word, Lucien. You left me wondering what I'd done wrong, why you didn't want to be with me anymore." Lucien's jaw clenched, and he looked away. "I had my reasons," he said tightly. "What reasons could possibly justify abandoning me like that?" Rory demanded, her voice shaking with emotion. "You knew how much I cared about you, how much I trusted you. And you just... threw it all away." Lucien's eyes flashed with pain, and he took a step towards her. "I didn't want to," he said, his voice raw. "But I had to protect you, Rory. I couldn't let you get any closer to me, not with everything that's going on." Rory's brow furrowed in confusion. "What are you talking about? What's going on?" Lucien hesitated, his gaze darting away. "It's complicated," he said finally. "There are things about me that you don't know, things that could put you in danger if you were too close to me." Rory's heart sank. She had suspected that there was more to Lucien than he had let on, but she had never imagined that it could be something so serious. "What kind of things?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper. Lucien's jaw clenched, and he looked away. "I can't tell you," he said, his voice strained. "I want to, Rory. More than anything. But I can't risk it." Rory felt a surge of anger and frustration. "You can't keep running from this, Lucien," she said, her voice rising. "If there's something you're not telling me, then I have a right to know. I deserve to know the truth." Lucien's eyes flashed with pain, and he reached out to cup her face in his hands. "I know," he said softly. "And I'm sorry. I never meant to hurt you, Rory. I care about you too much to let anything happen to you." Rory's heart ached at his words, at the tenderness in his touch. She wanted so badly to believe him, to trust him again. But she knew that it wouldn't be easy. There were too many secrets between them, too much pain. She took a deep breath, trying to steady herself. "I can't do this anymore, Lucien," she said, her voice shaking. "I can't keep wondering what's going on, what you're hiding from me. I need to know the truth, or I can't be with you." Lucien's eyes widened in surprise, and he took a step back. "Rory, please," he said, his voice strained. "Don't do this. I love you, more than anything. I can't lose you." Rory felt a surge of emotion at his words, at the raw honesty in his voice. But she knew that she couldn't let herself be swayed by his words alone. She needed to know the truth, to understand what was really going on. "I'm sorry, Lucien," she said, her voice breaking. "But I can't do this anymore. I need to know the truth, or I can't be with you." Lucien's eyes filled with tears, and he reached out to take her hand. "Please, Rory," he said, his voice cracking. "Give me a chance to explain. I promise I'll tell you everything, but you have to trust me." Rory hesitated, her heart torn. She wanted so badly to believe him, to trust him again. But she knew that it wouldn't be easy. There were too many secrets between them, too much pain. She took a deep breath, trying to steady herself. "Fine," she said finally, her voice shaking. "But you have to promise me one thing. You have to promise that you'll be honest with me, no matter what. No more secrets, no more lies." Lucien nodded, his eyes shining with tears. "I promise," he said softly. "I'll tell you everything, Rory. I swear it." Rory felt a surge of hope at his words, at the sincerity in his voice. Maybe, just maybe, they could find their way back to each other. Maybe they could build something real, something lasting. She took a step towards him, her hand reaching out to touch his face. "I love you, Lucien," she said, her voice trembling. "I always have. And I want to be with you, no matter what." Lucien's eyes filled with tears, and he pulled her into his arms, holding her close. "I love you too, Rory," he said, his voice muffled against her hair. "More than anything." And in that moment, as they held each other close, Rory knew that they could face anything together. The truth, no matter how painful, would set them free. And they would find their way back to each other, no matter what it took.